A Philippine operator welcomed five new ferries into service as a UK design firm started conducting sea trials of an electric trimaran demonstrator. A future US cruise ship is set to enter service within the next few months. Finally, development is underway on new Ro-Paxes for operation in Canada and on routes between Finland and Estonia.
Canada's BC Ferries has selected China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards (CMI Weihai) to build four "new major vessels" (NMVs) following a rigorous global procurement process that included a public request for proposals, comprehensive bid evaluations, international site visits, and independent third-party reference checks.
Nicolas Jimenez, CEO of BC Ferries, said CMI Weihai was "the clear choice" based on factors such as, "technical capabilities, high-quality and safety standards, ferry-building experience, proven ability to deliver safe, reliable vessels on dependable timelines, and overall cost and value," delivered for BC Ferries' customers.
Filipino vessel owner Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corporation (APFC), which operates under the name FastCat, recently took delivery of five new catamaran Ro-Pax vessels in a series built by Singapore's Greenbay Marine Group, local newspaper The Manila Times reports.
The ferries belong to a series designed by Australian naval architecture firm Seatransport. FastCat M17 and FastCat M18, two earlier vessels from the same series, were delivered to APFC in 2021 following completion at the facilities of Guangdong Bonny Fair Heavy Industry in China.
UK naval architecture firm Chartwell Marine has completed the initial sea trials of a new trimaran fast ferry demonstrator.
The electric trimaran vessel, developed in partnership with Southampton Solent University and Newcastle Marine Services, has concluded initial sea trials in Southampton.
Royal Caribbean International is scheduled to introduce its newest cruise ship in Port Canaveral in Florida this August.
Star of the Seas recently began undergoing sea trials under the supervision of Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku.
Viking Line has unveiled plans for Helios, a fully electric Ro-Pax ferry concept designed specifically for the Helsinki–Tallinn route. If realised, the vessel would be the world’s largest of its kind and could enter service by the early 2030s, the company said.
The concept envisions a 195-metre-long vessel capable of carrying approximately 2,000 passengers and two kilometres of freight capacity. It would operate at approximately 23 knots with a crossing time of just over two hours. The vessel’s battery capacity is projected at 85–100 megawatt hours, with charging to occur during port calls using over 30 megawatts of capacity.